[crunchy_mommy]

...maybe I just need to vent or something...

I've had really bad fatigue for the last 4 years. I remember the month it started, April 2006. At first I attributed it to stress and then to winter and then to something else & here we are 4 years later & nothing's changed.

I went to a doctor in Feb. 2008 & before even asking any questions or examining me, she told me I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She did run a few tests after that (thyroid, nutritional deficiencies, etc.) & nothing showed up. I haven't seen a doc since then (except for my OB) 'cause there's no cure for CFS so I didn't see the point.

Went on a GF & soy-free diet & felt really good after about a month. Then I got pg & was so wiped out & starving so I gave up the GF-SF diet. My third trimester I felt AMAZING. My energy was almost as good as it used to be, even though I was pg!!!

Then sure enough, DS was born & within a month or so my energy plummeted again. Tried the GF-SF diet again with no effect. I want to go to my DS's doc & figure out what's wrong with me but I'm afraid he'll just blame it on my DS's horrible sleeping. But I know that's not the issue.

Pre-2006, I was working 3 jobs to support myself & help my now-DH. I was a full-time college student with 2 majors & a minor & heavily involved in tons of extracurricular stuff. I went to bed at 12 or 1 or 2am & was up by 7 or 8am. I worked out 30-60 minutes a day. I had tons & tons & tons of energy. I was depressed on & off and had some anxiety & serious personal trauma but I really feel like those were my best years.

Now I'm 27. I can't think clearly. I can't function. I work from home full-time & take care of DS when DH isn't home but that's ALL. I. DO. I can't clean, I can't do laundry, I rarely cook, I can sometimes manage a walk outside but I suffer for it (feel so wiped out for the next 12+ hours). It's not being "tired" like you need to sleep... I can't nap & actually can only sleep about 8-10 hours at night and that's with waking up to nurse frequently. It's more like I feel like I'm sluggish, running on empty, can't move. Sometimes if I start doing something I can run on pure adrenaline but the second I stop that's it, I'm toast. I'm not depressed & anxious the way I was when I was younger, but I do feel incredibly down about my inability to contribute to my family & my household. I end up sitting or laying down 95% of the day and like I said earlier, if I push myself to do more I really pay for it. I tried some dietary changes (more fat, more protein, more calories, etc.) but nothing really helps. Sometimes I feel like I'm just lazy & it's all in my head, especially when DH is running around folding laundry & doing dishes while watching DS so I can rest. I'm just so frustrated with myself & really feel like my body has failed me. I want to have energy again. I want to do all the things I loved. I want to play with my son!!!!!

I guess I don't really know why I'm writing this out but I just needed to. Thank you for reading if you got this far, and if anyone has any clue what the heck is wrong with me or how to fix it... PLEASE share.

 

[sbgrace]

The problem w/chronic fatigue is when a person (or doctor more often) stops looking for the cause. I believe there is always a cause. There was for me.
Some very common causes all of which I'm sure were not ruled out w/you:
Thyroid
Vitamin D3 deficiency (25 OH D test for this specifically, vital test as this is such a common cause)
b12 deficiency
iron deficiency
coq10 deficiency or a carnitine deficiency (both caused by very common metabolic disorders that can have adult onset though generally there would be other symptoms in addition to fatigue.)
adrenal fatigue (though don't stop looking there either because usually there are other factors w/this)
sleep apnea or upper airway restriction (need a sleep study for this and that should be done if there is unexplained fatigue. You do not need to be overweight or male to have sleep apnea or upper airway resistance).

 

[Zangua]

True chronic fatigue is a strain of 'epstein barr' virus, which is the same virus that causes mono. You can test for this in a blood culture. It is a virus, so there is no 'treatment' except to boost the immune system so that it fights it off on its own. Diet change is good but you may want to start on a serious immune boosting regiment that involves diet, exercise (something like yoga or swimming that you force yourself to do regularly), accupuncture and then immotonic herbs/vitamins. You might want to talk to a natropath about what the best regiment for immune system building would be for you.
I had chronic fatigue/epstien barr and after years of searching finally found relief through a plant called 'sutherlandia' that works to strengthen immune systems holistically and is often used for cancer and aids patiens. you can order or online or find in specialty vitamin shops.

Good luck!

 

[sbgrace]

I wouldn't stop w/an epstein barr finding either as we can carry that virus after exposure and there could be more there too. I suppose if my symptoms resolved w/ treatment as yours did I'd stop of course!

I wanted to post this link to show what I'm talking about w/not stopping. It is about one of the metabolic conditions I referenced above and CFS. http://www.ijcem.com/812001A.html

Quote:

When the factors are combined, a remarkable correlation is observed between the degree of mitochondrial dysfunction and the severity of illness (P<0.001). Only 1 of the 71 patients overlaps the normal region.

Almost all the CFS patients had signs of mitochondrial dysfunction (compared to the control group). This was my issue as well and I also had a vitamin D deficiency and Upper Airway Restriction/mild sleep apnea (despite being normal weight and not snoring).

Here is another common metabolic condition that can result in chronic fatigue symptoms and dx. and has adult onset. http://www.austinelling.us/content/d...-ii-deficiency
It's CPT II. The other is mitochondrial disease. These have a wide spectrum of presentation and outcomes. Both you can address at least to some extent and often feel better as a result.

I had extremely low coq10 and increasing that level did wonders for my energy among other things. My son had low carnitine and correcting that helped his energy level as well.

I just really want to get the message out not to quit looking for the underlying issue when you receive a dx. like this and even when you find a cause. There are often multiple things going on.